BrandSeed has leased 22,250 square feet of office space in Moorefield V and has hired 50 employees. BrandSeed is a performance based marketing service company whose mission is to help manufacturers and marketers increase their sales goals by leveraging media, technology, marketing and human resources to generate significant incremental profits. The company provides direct-to-consumer print ads, low cost media buys, an in-house call center and live Internet chat. BrandSeed has its corporate headquarters in Petersburg, VA. For more information on the company go to www.brandseed.com
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The Chesterfield County Crime Prevention unit of the Support Services Division strives to provide a first choice business community by educating business owners and employees on how to anticipate, recognize, and reduce crime. The Crime Prevention unit offers a variety of programs focused on businesses. Please inquire about the programs listed below at 804-674-7006 (ext. 108).
Business Security
Teaches physical, procedural and environmental security for businesses.
Business Crime Prevention Curriculum For Students
This five-lesson curriculum teaches marketing students in the county high schools crime prevention in businesses.
Business Watch
Teaches how to start and maintain a successful Business Watch.
Check and Credit Card Fraud
How to detect counterfeit, fraudulent, altered and forged checks and credit cards and how to recoup losses.
Commercial Robbery
How employees can prevent and react to a robbery.
Crime Prevention For Small Business Curriculum
A core of six lessons dealing with crime issues that affect small retail establishments.
Office Theft and Security
How to protect your belongings and yourself from theft and crime.
Refund Fraud
Teaches how to develop procedures to prevent refund fraud and how to detect it.
Substance Abuse In The Workplace
How to recognize employees who are substance abusers, and what the affects of not dealing with substance abuse are.
Violence in the Workplace
Teaches how to reduce risk of violent acts in the workplace.
Colonial Honda in Petersburg and Priority Toyota in Colonial Heights have bought land at the Walthall exit off I-95. Colonial Honda’s owner also bought an additional site to potentially put another dealership there.
Colonial Honda of Petersburg will be moving to southern Chesterfield next year. The company purchased two parcels off Interstate 95 at the Walthall exit. The new location means that the dealership will be closer to a growing part of southern Chesterfield and to state Route 288. The company will begin construction this fall on seven acres. In addition, the Richmond Times-Dispatch has reported that Priority Toyota out of Colonial Heights has also purchased property at the same location and should begin construction on its 9-acre site early next year. It should be completed by late 2005.
The two dealerships from Petersburg and Colonial Heights will move to a planned auto mall facing Interstate 95 in southern Chesterfield County next year. The 50-acre Walthall Center development could possibly accommodate as many as two more car lots at the location.
General Land is developing the site with Richmonder P.C. Amin, who owns Shamin Hotels. Amin’s hotel properties include the Holiday Inn Express near Brandermill and in Ashland. Plans for the development call for a fourth dealership, a 120-room hotel and a couple of restaurants.
The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors has unanimously voted to lower tax rates for professional, financial and real estate services from 53 cents to 32 cents per $100 of gross receipts in 2005 and from 32 cents to 20 cents in 2006.
The tax rate applies to the 550 or so businesses in the county that provide those services and have annual gross revenues of $200,000 or more. The rate changes will mean a total of about $1 million in annual savings for those businesses.
Another section of Route 288 between Route 6 (Patterson Avenue) and Route 60 (Midlothian Turnpike) including a new James River crossing is now open. The new route will significantly cut commute times across the river.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and APAC-Atlantic, Inc. have been working from dawn to dusk seven days a week to give motorists access to the full interchanges at Route 60, Route 711 (Robious Road), and the new bridge over the James River.
This segment connects to previously opened portions of Route 288 between Route 6 and Interstate 64 in Goochland County. Motorists will be able to drive Route 288 from Midlothian Turnpike (Route 60) to I-64 in approximately 12 minutes. This is a significant timesavings over the other available river crossings including Chippenham Parkway’s Willey Bridge and Huguenot Bridge. Typical commutes using these facilities to traverse between the Midlothian and Short Pump areas now last 35 to 45 minutes.
“We are very excited to see this section of Route 288 open to motorists, and we know motorists are eager to use it,” said Thomas A. Hawthorne, P.E., VDOT’s Richmond district administrator. “We ask drivers to use caution when driving through this section as it will still be an active work zone when we first open it to traffic. There will still be ongoing work to totally complete construction in this area for several more weeks.”
Crews will continue to work diligently until the entire corridor is open to traffic. The final portion of Route 288 between Route 60 and Route 76 is slated for completion later this fall, but no exact dates are available at this time.
Route 288 was officially named the World War II Veterans Memorial Highway and Bridge. For more information about the project, visit www.VirginiaDOT.org or www.Route288.com.
The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved a purchase contract for Cloverleaf Mall. The purchase is a continuation of plans that began in late 2001 to redevelop the Cloverleaf Mall area. Studies have concluded that the mall will not be a viable economic entity in the future and that the county must lead a major redevelopment effort to maintain this area.
The county has completed studies, including one begun by the Chesapeake Group in February 2002, that indicate that a mixed-use development with some retail, small industrial development, office and some high-end residential development would be a potentially good use of this property.
Chesapeake Realty Venture, LLC was selected by the county on April 6 of this year to be the developer for the Cloverleaf project. In a related matter, the county promoted former Planning department director Tom Jacobson to a newly created position as Director of Revitalization on June 1 to lead these and other redevelopment efforts.
“The county sees the revitalization of the Cloverleaf Mall area as an essential ingredient in the revitalization efforts of the Eastern Midlothian corridor and the Chippenham corridor,” said County Administrator Lane B. Ramsey.
The Virginia Department of Transportation is looking for citizen feedback in identifying transportation problems, developing effective solutions and moving forward to implement these improvements. VDOT is in the process of producing a Guide to Public Involvement.
If you would like to comment on this document in its draft form visit their website at www.virginiadot.org
On Tuesday, September 14, the Community College Workforce Alliance will host a Plant Engineering and Maintenance Summit for Richmond-Petersburg area manufacturers.
The technical seminar was designed by and for manufacturing and industry managers with the aim of creating a regional maintenance network. Sessions feature such topics as increasing bearing life through better lubrication decisions, laser alignment, vibration analysis, root cause failure analysis, as well as local success stories.
The afternoon sessions will facilitate strategic networking among participants about their most urgent maintenance concerns. The event is sponsored by SKF, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance, the Richmond chapter of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and CCWA. Registration ranges from $40-$75 per person. For complete registration information, visit www.ccwa.vccs.edu.
Governor Mark R. Warner recently announced that the Jefferson Davis Enterprise Center would receive a $30,000 grant from the Virginia Small Business Incubator Program. The purpose of grants is to strengthen small business incubators throughout the Commonwealth.
The Jefferson Davis Enterprise Center is a multi-use incubator that has industrial and office space available for lease. Tenants share administrative services and common areas, including a conference room. The center can also provide business counseling, training courses and general business advisory services at no charge. The center is conveniently located off I-95 in Chesterfield County’s Jefferson Davis Enterprise Zone.
Research shows that 87% of companies graduating from incubation programs – multi-tenant facilities designed to provide start-ups with office space, flexible lease terms and shared office services – continue to prosper as dynamic members of the business community, far outstripping the success rate of traditional startups. The Virginia incubator network houses over 250 businesses that employ more than 850 people. Twenty-one percent of these businesses are minority-owned and nineteen percent are women-owned.
Honeywell announced today a $20 million investment to boost production of Spectra® fiber to meet increased demand from the North American armor industry.
Honeywell expects to make several similar-sized investments in Honeywell Performance Products over the next few years to boost Spectra® fiber production. The current investment will take place at Spectra® fiber manufacturing facilities at Honeywell’s Technical Center in Chesterfield County. The announcement was made during a visit to the facilities by General Paul J. Kern, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Material Command, which is dedicated to providing superior technology, acquisition support, and logistics for the U.S. Army.
Spectra® fiber, the strongest man-made fiber in commercial use today, is the high performance fiber of choice for armor manufacturers servicing the U.S. military and law enforcement agencies with SAPI (small arms protective insert) plates used in the Interceptor vest. “Honeywell is fully dedicated to being the premier supplier of high performance fibers to the North American armor industry,” said Dr. Nance K. Dicciani, president and CEO of Honeywell Specialty Materials. “Honeywell has invested more than $25 million in Spectra® fiber research and production in the past three years. Today, we’re entering a new stage of development that will enable Honeywell to even further expand its support of the armor industry, to service new industry segments and to continue to drive innovation in specialty fibers.”
The expansion announced today is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2005. The additional production will be primarily devoted to meeting U.S. military requirements. This Richmond-area build-out is independent of a previously announced Spectra® fiber manufacturing operation intended to support the global marketplace.
“Spectra ® fiber’s unique qualities and extraordinary strength have made Honeywell a preferred supplier of weight-for-weight, stronger-than-steel fibers to companies serving the U.S. military,” said Mike Ryan, vice president and general manager, Performance Products, Honeywell Specialty Materials. “By undertaking a substantial capacity expansion in Chesterfield County, Virginia, we’re reinforcing a leading position in the North American armor industry. We believe that the eventual addition of new facilities will enable us to even further distinguish Honeywell in the global marketplace.”
Honeywell has been operating its Spectra® fiber operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week for several years to fulfill customer demand and will continue to do so throughout the multi-line expansion. Spectra® fiber is pound for pound 10 times stronger than steel, yet light enough to float, making it ideal for a wide range of armor and security applications — from bullet-resistant vests, helmets and breastplates to combat vehicles and military aircraft — where light weights and ability to endure environmental elements are crucial.
“Chesterfield County is committed to being the first choice business community, and Honeywell International’s plans to invest $20 million and create 21 new jobs here in Chesterfield County is a welcome announcement. It speaks not only to our attractiveness to new businesses, but also to the manner in which we work to nurture existing businesses so they may prosper and grow.” said Chesterfield County BOS Chair Kelly Miller.
Spectra Shield® material, a composite product made out of Spectra® fiber, forms a basis for SAPI plates used in the Interceptor vest worn by U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Four-pound SAPI plates are the component of the vest designed to stop high-energy rifle rounds, including those from AK-47s and grenade shrapnel, encountered by troops in these locations. Honeywell is currently the sole supplier of Spectra Shield® material to SAPI plate manufacturers servicing the U.S. military.
Spectra® and Spectra Shield® are registered trademarks of Honeywell International, Inc.
Commonwealth Biotechnologies, Inc., a biotech contract research organization located in Chesterfield County, has raised $2.5 million through the sale of common stock and warrants to several accredited investors.
The company will use a portion of the new money to enhance its bio-defense capabilities by expanding, upgrading and equipping its accredited biosafety level 3 laboratory suite. Specifically, the company will install new BSL-3 virology and a BSL-3 bacteriology production suites to service new contract work received by CBI. The company expects to use additional investment funds to expand its marketing activities, particularly in the area of e-commerce, but also in more traditional methods of marketing. The company will use the bulk of the investment funds as general working capital.
“We are pleased that CBI is attracting institutional investors,” added Richard J. Freer, Chairman and COO. “We believe that having institutional buyers as investors in CBI adds a level of stability that will benefit all of CBI’s shareholders. ”
For more information visit http://www.cbi-biotech.com/.
A study by American City Business Journals (ACBJ) says Chesterfield County,
VA offers the nation’s 17th best quality of life. ACBJ used 20 statistical
indicators to rate living conditions in all 3,141 counties and independent
cities across the country.
ACBJ’s report is more comprehensive than traditional quality-of-life studies,
which usually only focus on metropolitan areas and omit smaller communities.
This study includes data for every county and independent city in the nation.
The study used statistical information from the 2000 census.
The state of Virginia had four counties in the top 20 and eight counties included
in the national top 50. An article outlining the study and the methodology
used is available online at www.bizjournals.com.
The results are naturally of interest to companies looking to locate and expand.
But quality of life rankings will not outweigh critical economic factors such
as the availability of workers and access to markets.
The ratings formula compared each county’s performance against the U.S. county-by-county
averages in 20 categories, yielding an overall quality-of-life score. Counties
with upper-income families, large homes and well-educated adults received high
marks. But several qualities unrelated to affluence were also rewarded, including
racial diversity, family stability and short commuting times. Overall scores
ranged from a high of 18.99 points to a low of minus-16.04 points.
Listed below are the 20 categories that ACBJ used to produce the ratings.
The letter in parentheses indicates whether the category’s top score went to
the county with the highest (H) or lowest (L) figure.
- Stability — Percentage of residents who have lived in their current homes
for at least five years. (H) - Work in neighborhood — Percentage of workers who walk to their jobs or
work at home. (H) - Work within county — Percentage of workers who work in the same county
where they live. (H) - Short commutes — Percentage of workers who live less than 15 minutes
from their jobs, minus the percentage who commute 45 minutes or longer. The
listed figure is the difference between these two groups, expressed in percentage
points. (H) - Transit availability — Percentage of workers who commute by public transit.
(H) - Young adults — Percentage of residents between the ages of 25 and 44.
(H) - Racial diversity — Percentage of residents who are minorities (blacks,
Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans) minus the national average (30.9
percent), expressed as an absolute value. The listed figure is the local
deviation from minority representation in the nation as a whole, expressed
in percentage points. (It is not the percentage of local minorities.) The
lower the deviation, the more closely a county mirrors the nation’s diversity.
(L) - Poverty — Percentage of families living below the federally designated
poverty level. (L) - Unemployment — Percentage of civilian workforce that is unemployed. (L)
- Top-level jobs — Percentage of workers who have jobs in management or
professional occupations. (H) - Income — Median household income. (H)
- Home value — Median value of owner-occupied homes. (H)
- House affordability — Comparison of median home value and median household
income, expressed as home value per $1,000 of income. (L) - Property taxes — Comparison of median real estate taxes and median household
income, expressed as real estate taxes per $1,000 of income. (L) - New housing units — Percentage of existing homes built since 1980. (H)
- Big houses — Percentage of homes with nine or more rooms. (H)
- Homeowner rate — Percentage of homes owned by their occupants. (H)
- High school grads — Percentage of adults 25 or older who hold high school
diplomas. (H) - College grads — Percentage of adults 25 or older who hold bachelor’s
degrees. (H) - Graduate degrees — Percentage of adults 25 or older who hold master’s,
doctoral and/or professional degrees. (H)
Forbes magazine has released its annual ranking of America’s most business-friendly metropolitan areas. The Richmond Virginia metro area was ranked 10th on the list this year. Last year the Richmond area was 12th.
Forbes ranked its list of the nation’s 150 largest metropolitan areas based on nine factors it classified as important to businesses.
The magazine evaluated the cost of doing business, the cost of living, job and income growth, the concentration of college graduates and doctorates, the crime rate and population migration.
The rankings also included a culture and leisure index, influenced by the prevalence of amenities such as museums, theaters and golf courses.
Forbes wrote, “A metro area for all seasons, Richmond is the only area to rank in the top half of our list for each of the nine criteria we examined.”
More information about the ranking can be found on Forbes.com.
Each year the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors honors local companies that contribute to the county’s economy and its citizens. The intent is to give recognition to small, medium and large organizations that consistently uphold the principles and standards of ethical business practices and that advertise and sell with integrity, participate consistently in community, trade associations and local programs that better our county and region.
For the first time, there was a tie for this honor between two nominees in the large business category; however, it was felt both organizations were worthy of this recognition. The Board of Supervisors, and the selection committee, awarded Defense
Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) and DuPont Spruance
Site, as the recipient of Chesterfield County’s 2004 Large Business of the Year Award.
Defense Supply Center Richmond
DSCR occupies over 600 acres along the I-95 corridor in southern Chesterfield County and employs approximately 3,000 employees. It has been a consistent, dependable supplier of quality goods and services to those defending the nation around the world since it was activated in 1942.
In 1996, DSCR was designated as the lead center for aviation consumable support within the Department of Defense. In this role, they serve as the primary source of supply for nearly 850,000 repair parts with a direct application to aviation. The center receives about 8,000 demands a day, or about a quarter of a million demands a month from all corners of the world.
The installation is the recipient of numerous citations and certificates for its community service. The Virginia Blood Services presented its Award of Achievement to DSCR again in 2003 for outstanding contributions to the community. DSCR participates in one of the largest school partnerships in the Richmond Metropolitan area. Over 150 volunteers donate time to our command-sponsored programs with four area schools. Employees again led the way for federal agencies in the Richmond metropolitan area, donating a record $262,000 to the Combined Federal Campaign in 2003.
Congratulations to Admiral Michael J. Lyden and all the DSCR employees!
DuPont Spruance Site
DuPont Spruance plant was built on a 500-acre parcel in 1929, and today employs 2,600 employees. The Spruance plant belongs to the DuPont worldwide family of plants that manufactures and produces products from chemicals for every possible use imaginable. DuPont recently celebrated its 200th birthday. Over these two centuries the company has evolved from manufacturing black powder and explosives, to chemicals, energy and modern materials.
During the past ten years, DuPont has spent over $550 million to expand and modernize the Spruance businesses’ assets. In May 2001, DuPont announced a $50 million capital investment to increase production of Kevlar® fiber at the Spruance site.
DuPont materials and technologies have offered innovations designed to maximize safety, mobility, survivability and sustainability. Some products include: CVC flame resistant coveralls, flak jackets, personnel and cargo parachutes.
DuPont sponsors many community causes and encourages its employees to volunteer in community activities. Employees volunteer in a wide variety of civic groups, athletic teams, rescue squads, and volunteer fire departments. The DuPont Volunteer Recognition Program recognizes employees who are contributors not only at work, but also in the community as volunteers. The recognition consists of a $1,000 award to the community organization and an annual recognition event to honor the employee. A few community organizations are as follows: Bensley Elementary, Meals on Wheels, American Red Cross, Virginia Muscular Dystrophy and Chesterfield Alternatives.
Congratulations to Mike Mayberry, Plant Manager, and all the DuPont employees!
Each year the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors honors local companies that contribute to the county’s economy and its citizens. The intent is to give recognition to small, medium and large organizations that consistently uphold the principles and standards of ethical business practices and that advertise and sell with integrity, participate consistently in community, trade associations and local programs that better our county and region.
The Board of Supervisors, and the selection committee, awarded City Ice, as the recipient of Chesterfield County’s 2004 Small Business of the Year Award. City Ice has demonstrated its dedication and commitment as small business of the year to the community of Chesterfield County.
City Ice
Mark Resnick, the company’s President, purchased the company that was started 100 years ago in 1990. City Ice moved from its original location in Petersburg to a new site in Chesterfield County off Old Bermuda Hundred Road in 1998. They employ 19 full-time employees and add at least ten more employees during the busy season. The small, independent company produces “tube” ice, which is round versus square cubes with a hole in the center. They were the first to manufacture round ice in this area, establishing the “Ice Rounds” brand. Laboratory tests proved Ice Rounds cooled 33 percent faster compared to traditional ice. The factory in Chester produces up to 65 tons of ice a day.
In 1999, they were the first in the industry to design an 8-color process print package with a handle; a pull strip to remove the handle; a zip-lock closure; and a heat-sealed bottom. In 2003, City Ice tested its product in four Ukrops’ stores. In the past three years, City Ice has enjoyed double-digit growth in a very competitive industry.
During Hurricane Isabel, City Ice staff worked 14 to 18-hour days to serve the community and supported the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Mark Resnick and the employee’s of City Ice provided the Emergency Operations Center with over 40 tons of ice for distribution to the citizens of Chesterfield County. City Ice gives back to the community in a variety of ways. Mark believes the community keeps him in business through the support of his product.
Congratulations to Mark Resnick and all the employees of City Ice!
Fiorucci Foods, Inc. is in the process of expanding its Prosciutto line at their plant. The expansion will enable the plant, located at 1800 Ruffin Mill Road, to process an additional 1,500 hams (prosciutto) per month. The 6,000 square foot expansion should be completed early this Fall and will result in an increase of 3 employees.
Fiorucci Focuses on Quality, Tradition, Innovation
In the mid-1800s, Innocenzo Fiorucci started the company in Norcia, Italy, with a dream of providing the finest quality foods to his community. Using long-cherished family recipes and with the help of old-world artisans, he produced what have become the best loved and number one selling deli meats in Italy. Now, Fiorucci Foods is proud to be a popular gourmet choice in American homes and restaurants as well.
The company’s mission to this day remains to provide authentic Italian foods known for their high quality and for the expert support of the Company behind them.
Jay. B. Lafler, Vice President of Commercial Properties Management (CPM) announced that they have completed negotiations with The Martin Agency for one of their business units to locate within the mixed use project of Beaufont Center located at Chippenham Parkway and Midlothian Turnpike. The Martin Call Center will occupy over 16,000 sq. ft. and employ over 300 personnel.
The leasing of this Class B office space to The Martin Agency continues CPM’s philosophy of turning Beaufont Center into a true mixed-use project. Besides this office use, they presently have 8,500 sq. ft. rented to other office users in the rear of the former retail project. Mr. Lafler commented, “With the signing of a major office tenant, we will continue to promote the back of the shopping center as a true Class B office area. The rear entrances to the tenant’s spaces will be updated with landscaping, will have awnings, glass doors with sidelight windows as well as sconces lighting either side of the doors and brass name identification plates.”
The placement of The Martin Agency at the property is a substantial culmination of efforts to bring a major employer to the center to help enable the center to add more service and restaurant type users to help complement the number of employees at the Center. For The Martin Agency, key factors in locating at Beaufont Center were the excellent location, ease of access and the commitment for the continuation of the property being a
mixed-use project.
Barbara Joyner, a Partner with The Martin Agency, said, “We are very pleased with our new location. We believe that Beaufont Center is a wonderful strategic location and we are pleased to be a part of the Beaufont revitalization.”
CarMax broke ground on the area’s second CarMax lot on April 7, 2004. The new store is about a quarter-mile west of Chesterfield Towne Center Mall, on the corner of Midlothian Turnpike and Murray Olds Drive.
The 40,000-square-foot CarMax store will stock about 300 used cars and will open in late September or early October. CarMax will create approximately 100 new jobs at this location.
The skill level of potential and incumbent employees has become the “hot topic” in our economy. Economic development is increasingly dependent on the quality of the available workforce.
It has long been recognized that employers often “speak a different language” when it comes to skills discussions and this has been a barrier to communication between education and training service providers and the private sector.
For some years, ACT’s WorkKeys has been used to cross this communication divide. This assessment and skills profiling system has proven its worth repeatedly, and the return on investment to employers and workers is extraordinary.
Several statewide educational and training initiatives (from the SOL’s to a regional portable skills credential) are being built on WorkKeys so it is imperative that we increase awareness of the WorkKeys system and its value to our economy.
To enhance this understanding, FREE WorkKeys seminars have been planned across the state. These concise, informative sessions are designed as an introduction to WorkKeys for employers, educators, parents, counselors, and other workforce development and education professionals.
You are invited to attend and to encourage others to take advantage of this FREE opportunity. The South Central Region seminar will be at John Tyler Community College, Chester Campus, Nicholas Center, on Monday, April 26, 2004, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Please RSVP by email to Sandy Rivera at srivera@jtcc.edu
(phone:(804) 440-2447) and indicate that you will be attending the John Tyler Community College meeting on April 26.
Directions to the John Tyler Chester Campus are located on the Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA) website at http://www.ccwa.vccs.edu/locations.cfm#h002
Chesterfield County joins Governor Mark Warner, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance and Chesterfield County in acknowledging the contributions of Virginia businesses during the upcoming Business Appreciation Week, May 16th to 22nd, 2004. It is an opportunity for the state and the localities to reflect on the contributions Virginia businesses have on the economy in our great Commonwealth.
This year’s Business Appreciation Week theme is “Together We Make a Difference,” in an effort to not only recognize Virginia newcomers, but to also be thankful the contributions made by our existing businesses. While their impact can be seen everyday, Business Appreciation Week is a time to celebrate their efforts as well as reaffirm our commitment to their success.
The entire economic development community gratefully acknowledges the benefits brought to the people of Virginia, and Chesterfield County, by the businesses that continue to operate here year after year.
The Interactive Guide to Starting a Small Business in Chesterfield County is now available on the Chesterfield County Economic Development Web site at www.chesterfieldbusiness.com/guide/. This guide is an interactive system for potential and existing small-business owners that take the user through every aspect of starting a small business.
The guide contains virtually every document required on local, county, state and federal levels, accessible in pdf format. It also includes interactive links to all related Web sites to ensure ready availability of up-to-date information as laws change. It covers all aspects of starting a venture with a tutorial on business basics including:
- How to research your industry and market;
- How to analyze competition;
- Finding, hiring and keeping good employees;
- Identifying and projecting your market share; and
- The importance of a business plan as a growth tool.
In addition, the program includes a tutorial on the different types of business organization such as proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations, and identifies the pros and cons of each.
This guide is also available on a CD-ROM that includes a business plan software program. The business plan program, through a series of questions, will help the user produce a 35-50-page business plan that includes financial projections.
The Interactive Guide to Starting a Small Business was developed by the Community College Workforce Alliance through funding provided by the Greater Richmond Partnership.
If you are interested in receiving the CD-ROM version of the Guide, please send an email with your name and mailing address to Karen@chesterfieldbusiness.com and a copy will be sent to you. For more information or additional small business assistance, contact Karen Aylward, Project Manager for Small and Minority Business at 804-748-3963.
Each year the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors honors local companies that contribute to the county’s economy and its citizens. The intent is to give recognition to small, medium and large organizations that consistently uphold the principles and standards of ethical business practices and that advertise and sell with integrity, participate consistently in community, trade associations and local programs that better our county/region.
On behalf of Chesterfield County, the Department of Economic Development is inviting nominations for the 2004 Business of the Year. Anyone from within the community may nominate a company or a business may self-nominate. The nominated company may assist in filling out the entry form. Entry is free. The categories are:
- Small Business – Company with 50 employees or less
- Medium Business – Company with 51-300 employees
- Large Business – Company with over 300 employees
Winning one of these awards brings significant benefits – prestige, media coverage, a boost for sales and marketing and increased staff morale.
For more information or to nominate a company, visit chesterfieldbusiness.com/award or contact Tina Shreve at 748-3963.
Sharper Image has opened its first east coast distribution center in Chesterfield County. The new distribution center will supply more than 60 Sharper Image stores from Boston to Miami as well as Internet and catalog customers. The 113,000 square foot warehouse is located in The Enterchange at Walthall facility in the rapidly developing Walthall Enterprise Zone area.
The company invested $2 million in the new operation and will employ 12 workers initially. The company plans to add another 25 workers in the next year to handle call center operations.
CareerConnect is Virginia’s One Stop Workforce System. The Virginia Employment Commission, and Local Workforce Investment Boards have developed CareerConnect as a result of a three-year grant Virginia received from the U.S. Department of Labor. CareerConnect can assist employers with an abundance of educational, employment, and career-related information.
This is the place to connect with qualified employees, find out about business opportunities, and research state and federal regulations. Employers will be able to access job seeker resumes, information on public and private placement services, training opportunities for current or future employees, laws which effect your business and various economic development and tax incentive resources.
Labor Market information is available for employers and job seekers wishing to quickly locate the most recent information available on local, state and national economic and employment trends. The Virginia Employment Commission, state universities, and the federal bureaus of Labor Statistics, Economic Analysis and Census supply information.
Community Resources have been included to assist employers with a wide array of information and assistance available throughout the Commonwealth. All of this information is presented on a statewide or regional basis.
The CareerConnect website is located a www.careerconnect.state.va.us